Illegal chemist's shops: Punjab health secy told to find remedy

Hearing a public-interest petition about the mushrooming of illegal chemist's shops in the villages of Punjab and the selling of drugs over these counters, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday directed the Punjab health secretary to investigate and submit a report.

Hearing a public-interest petition about the mushrooming of illegal chemist's shops in the villages of Punjab and the selling of drugs over these counters, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday directed the Punjab health secretary to investigate and submit a report.

A division bench comprising acting chief justice Jasbir Singh and justice Rakesh Kumar Jain said that if chemists were found selling illegal drugs, law must take appropriate action against them. The court directed the health secretary to direct drug inspectors concerned to inspect chemist's shops and check for their licences, as drugs getting into the hands of youth had become a menace in villages.

The state government has two months to submit the action taken report. "The court has observed that many chemist's shops run without licence. What have you done? Who is responsible to check this?" the court asked the Punjab counsel. "In a village there may not be a doctor but there are 10 chemist's shops. They are into selling illegal drugs in the entire Punjab and ruining young lives," the court further said.

The directions came on a public interest petition for investigation into illegal chemists shops opened in various villages of the state.